


Reaction Initiation

by LunaSee



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Comedy, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Hate to Love, How Do I Tag, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I Ship It, I Tried, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Ishbal | Ishval, Ishval Civil War, Military, Mutual Pining, My First Fanfic, Out of Character, Pre-Canon, Role Reversal, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Women in the Military
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:07:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27990492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaSee/pseuds/LunaSee
Summary: She saved his life.And now she wished she shot him herself.The man is unbelievably getting into Riza Hawkeye’s nerves.
Relationships: Jean Havoc & Riza Hawkeye, Riza Hawkeye & Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye & Zolf J. Kimblee, Riza Hawkeye/Zolf J. Kimblee
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Reaction Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Riza saves a weird soldier prancing around the desert from getting killed

Riza Hawkeye is in dire need of water. She had consumed the last drop in her canteen several hours ago and now her mouth is dry, her head is throbbing, and her eyes are stinging. This isn’t helped in any way by the heat permeating the very walls of the building, sucking more sweat out of her pores.

She was now at the last hour of another uneventful shift at the watchtower in the border of the Gunja Province of Ishval. Most of the Gunja were nomadic, having built few permanent structures, save for those required by the government, such as the building she is currently on. Once the war started however, most of the inhabitants of the Gunja towns fled to various areas of the desert, with most of their able bodied men becoming a huge contribution in manning the anti-Amestrian movement. The peripheral town she is on duty right now is completely deserted, with the Amestrian military having finished spreading out landmines at the borders, effectively isolating it from the endless dunes beyond.

Riza had just finished rummaging through every cupboard in the tower in search of any water container. She found none. The water barrel, which was left full in her last shift in the area three days ago, was now empty. Havoc should have told her about that when he endorsed last night; she could have asked him to bring her an extra canister. She mentally took note of berating her fellow sniper about it later once she gets back, before returning to her lookout point by the window.

She only took a few minutes away from her post, but what was once an empty stretch of desert in her scope is now dotted with a figure of a man.

From what she can tell, the man is an Amestrian soldier, who, for some reason, isn’t wearing any coat. She could only tell that he was on their side of the war because of the unmistakable blue military pants and boots, his torso being merely covered with a plain white sleeveless shirt. He was of medium height, maybe as tall as Roy, with a lean muscular build. His long black hair was set in a low ponytail, and both of his hands were covered in bandages. He does not have anything else with him, no cape, no guns, no bag, nothing. 

Riza was puzzled about her fellow soldier’s presence in the area. It was not exactly a place where they could take a stroll over during a break. A notice was sent out to all military units informing them of the restrictions placed in this town’s borders due to the placement of landmines. He should not be here at all. 

Even more puzzling is what the soldier was doing. He would stop every few meters, placing his hands together as if in prayer, before bending down to touch both palms on the ground. The soldier repeated this several times, walking along the borders, with nothing significant happening. Is he actually praying? A mantra, maybe? Or is he, like a few of their unfortunate colleagues, trying to escape from this war by gambling his life away with one of the planted bombs? 

Suddenly, Riza saw a glint of metal far right, located some distance away from the soldier. Hidden in the dunes was an Ishvalan, clothed in desert camouflage. He was probably hiding on that spot at the same time Riza was on duty, braving the cold night without fire and the harsh morning sun, emitting little to no movement, which helped him evade detection up to this point.

At this point, the Ishvalan was aiming a gun at the soldier.

Riza’s sniper instincts kicked in. 

She fired.

The Ishvalan fell on the ground, unmoving, his rifle left askew. 

One hundred and ninety sixth. 

The number weighed on Riza’s mind. Another death, another nail securing her eternal damnation.

The soldier was roused from his ritual with the sound of the gunshot, landing his gaze on the area where the Ishvalan was located. To her surprise, the soldier, rather than move away from the possible location of an unknown number of insurgents, him being alone and without any weapon at all, walked _towards_ the dead Ishvalan.

She had no time to ponder about the added weight to her conscience, nor about the soldier’s bizarre actions, as she was still scanning the area for signs of any other insurgents stirred from their hiding with the death of their comrade. After performing a meticulous sweep over the area several times, her scope landed again on the soldier, who is now examining the hiding place and the body of the dead Ishvalan. Upon looking at the fallen man’s head wound, the soldier got to his feet and surveyed the remnants of the town before him. 

Riza’s heart, which was already palpitating due to thirst and even more so after shooting the Ishvalan, nearly dropped to her feet when the soldier’s gaze settled on the general vicinity of the tower where she is hidden, seemingly looking at the exact window where she is surveying, and unmistakably _smiled_. 

The soldier then started to make his way towards the deserted town.

As he approached, Riza was able to study the man’s features. He walked assuredly, the toned muscles of his bare arms and shoulders glistening with sweat under the harsh sun. His skin was white and pale, almost blending into the white sleeveless shirt he’s wearing. This provided a sharp contrast with his hair and eyebrows, which were deep ebony black. He kept his long hair slicked back and gathered into a neat ponytail secured by a thin strand of white ribbon at his nape, with a few loose strands framing his face. The outlines of his face were sharp, his angular jaws meeting to form a strong, cleanly shaven chin. His facial features indicate that his heritage was not purely Amestrian, with hints of Xingese ancestry. At the center of his face, his pointed nose naturally gives him an air of aloofness and arrogance. His thin lips outline his mouth, which was currently positioned into a smug lopsided smile. His dark, elegantly set brows complemented his narrow, almond shaped eyes. Though Riza couldn’t tell from the distance whether his eyes were blue, gray, or green, she could see that they are currently glinting with amusement, probably directed at himself, or at the dead Ishvalan, or the whole situation, or even at her.  
  
Finally, the soldier reached the cluster of buildings of the town. She didn’t know how he did it, but he was able to approach the correct tower where she was based. He turned his smiling face up towards the lookout window Riza was using and gave a wave before entering the tower’s premises without hesitation.

The soldier knocked politely on the open door of the landing before entering the threshold. 

“Good day, Miss Sniper. I figured I should take some time off my busy schedule to extend proper gratitude to the marksman who saved my life.” His voice was smooth and clear, but said so softly that any listener would be drawn closer just to hear him speak. He greeted her like they were old acquaintances exchanging pleasantries at the park, not in the middle of a battlefield.

“What the hell were you doing out there?!” Riza snapped at him, not at all fond of any form of pleasantries. 

“I was doing an inspection.” He looked taken aback, as if he didn't expect to be questioned, or rather, wasn't _used_ to being questioned. His brows were slightly furrowed, but his eyes, sharp sapphire eyes, were still dancing with amusement, as if he found the entire exchange a good source of entertainment.

“Oh, I highly doubt that, soldier, this area is off limits! Only snipers are permitted at this periphery. Your disregard of the restrictions almost got you shot!”

“Well, you prevented that from happening, didn’t you, Miss Sniper? And for that, I truly am grateful.” He gave her a slight bow and a warm smile, highlighting the handsome features of his face. Riza realized that he was young, probably around her age or Roy’s.

Probably one of the newly shipped recruits who didn't know any better.

“I just _killed_ a man to save you.” She looked at him wide eyed, emphasizing the repercussions of his wildly quixotic actions, hoping to bring him to his senses so they could begin a decent conversation.

He inclined his head quizzically. “You were doing your job. And I did thank you, didn’t I? For doing your job? I must say, that was a really good shot. Right at the petrosal bone. Quick kill. You must be proud.” He smiled, looking as if he expected her to wholeheartedly agree with his statements.

Riza stared at the man with a mixture of incredulity and horror. To consider it objectively, as a mere task, as a matter of skill, to strip the act of killing of all humanity. She couldn’t believe her ears.

“How could you say that? That was another living, breathing, human being!”

“If you hadn’t shot him, he would have killed me. Then you would still have to shoot him since he shot me. Quid pro quo. It’s your duty. It might suck, but well, you knew your job description before you got into this, right? I don’t understand what you’re so distressed about.” The soldier arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her.

Riza continued to gape at the man. He genuinely looked puzzled about what she was upset about. He sighed.

“Look, if you regret your decision for keeping me alive so much, I’m giving you the permission to shoot me.” 

To Riza’s shock, he got down on his knees before her and proceeded to spread his arms out, his toned muscles rippling with the action, raised his head, exposing an elegant neck, closed his eyes and sighed in resignation, daring her. 

“Anyway,” he continued, still maintaining the submissive posture, “the only thing I would’ve regretted not finishing in my life right now is this damned inspection. Which is sad, when you think about it. Also, of all the godawful ways to go in this war, being finished off by a pretty badass woman? Not too bad. Though, I wouldn’t envy your paperwork afterwards, shooting a fellow soldier and all. But if it would make you feel better, go ahead and shoot. You can write it off as an accident, no witnesses anyway, just you and me. It happens, you know. After all, paperwork is nothing compared to being bothered with troubled feelings.”

The soldier, attractive though he is, Riza has to admit, is positively, one hundred percent, _unhinged_.

“Oh will you please stop being ridiculous?! Get up! I’m not going to shoot you!”

He put down his arms and slowly opened his eyes, still kneeling, the blue orbs looking at Riza disconcertedly. 

“Huh. Ok, now I’m confused. I’m sorry, Miss Sniper, but I really am at a loss on how I could attend to your, uh, emotional needs at the moment.”

“Excuse me? I’m asking you nothing of the sort! Between the two of us, you’re the one who’s acting outrageously!”

“It’s just that I don’t know what you’re trying to get out of this exchange, my dear,” he finally stood up, brushing the dust off his knees. 

“Your reactions are clearly out of tune with your actions," he continued. "Maybe it’s the fatigue. I heard being a sniper requires a lot of watchful waiting. Being in a state of concentration for an entire twelve-hour shift clouds the mind.”

Riza balled her fists, fighting the urge to pummel the man unconscious with the butt of her rifle just to get this conversation over and done with. “Look here, Mister I-Break-The-Rules-So-What, I think you’re already speaking way out of bounds!”

“No, no, as a matter of fact, I’m perfectly within bounds, Miss Sniper. As you said, actions you performed admirably, although afterwards regrettably, were done for my sake. I wonder….” He paused, his brows slightly furrowed and ice blue eyes started to study her in earnest, leaving Riza feeling dissected.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?! Stop looking at me like that!”

“Ah, I see now.” To Riza’s relief, his gaze deflected from her as he began to search for something in his pockets.

“Your lips are parched. It's dehydration, then. Here, you can have my water. It’s the least I can do for my life saver.” He again gave her a warm smile as he handed her a heavy black canteen, the smooth, finely textured metal was engraved with a crest she wasn’t familiar with. Definitely not military issued.

“You don’t have to give me this.” Riza tried to protest for the sake of her pride, but it came out weakly. She is sorely tempted to open it up and gulp down its contents as soon as possible.

“Oh, but I want to. Don’t worry, I haven’t drank from it yet since I washed and filled it up this morning. Nothing like an indirect kiss, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

What.

"...because personally, I really don't get the fuss about this indirect kissing thing. I mean, if I want to kiss you, Miss Sniper, I wouldn't do it indirectly; I'll just do it. So if that's..."

_What?_

The man was still talking, but Riza had already stopped listening. In fact, she already stopped thinking. The lack of sleep, dehydration, another death on her hands, and now this. Whatever the hell this is. She just wants the insensible noise to stop. She can't take it anymore.

She acted purely on impulse. 

"Hey!"

The soldier narrowly dodged the metal canister Riza threw to his face. She was seething with indignation.

"But I thought you said you're not in the mood to shoot me? Now you want to crack my head open with a water bottle? That's just cruel, Miss Sniper!" He looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and hurt, as he scampered towards the offending canister rolling on the floor.

“I dunno what your deal is, soldier, but for _my_ sanity's sake, just stop this nonsense!”

He retrieved the canister and approached her warily, pouting.

"Jeez, I'm sorry to disturb your peace, miss, it wasn't intentional. Here you go. Please don't throw it at me anymore. I would really prefer the bullet over blunt force."

Riza still had her hands on her hips, glaring at the soldier as if he was the bane of her existence. Which he truly is, at the moment. "You expect me to just take that after all the disgusting nonsense you spouted about indirect kissing and what not?"

“C’mon, Miss Sniper, you clearly need it. Consider it as a small token of my appreciation for saving my life. I swear, I'll stop bugging you if you take it." 

Riza took the bottle. The soldier heaved a sigh of relief and stepped away from her.

"Anyway, as much as I enjoyed our fun and uhh, somewhat violent time together, I must be going. As I said, I still haven’t finished my inspection.”

“Ok, hold on, mister. Have you been listening to me at all? You can’t go back out there! This location is restricted! The area where you were walking on is littered with landmines!”

“Believe me, I have been listening to you this whole time, my dear. Hence, my confusion about the inconsistencies of your statements. And the area being chock full of landmines is the reason why I’m doing my inspection in the first place. So, if you wouldn’t mind…” He proceeded to walk towards the door.

“Wait! But what about your water? You can’t go back under the blazing sun without water. And you don’t even have a coat!”

He chuckled, his blue eyes once again glinting with amusement as he considered her. “I appreciate your concern for my well-being, Miss Sniper, but I’m not in the habit of leaving a job unfinished for the sake of my personal comfort.” 

He then proceeded to turn out his pockets, which only contained a small bottle of sunblock and another canister, similar to the one he gave her. “See? These pockets are roomy after all. And now that I have assuaged your worries, I really must be going. Thank you once again, Miss Sniper, for saving my life. It was truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

He gave her a curt bow and a warm smile before proceeding to head down the stairs to exit the tower.

Riza was too stunned about the entirety of their interaction to even say anything. 

It was only when the soldier was at a distance away, his black hair whirling in the wind, did Riza realize that she forgot to ask for his name. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this! I’m really sorry for grammar mistakes, blabbering, and ooc depictions. Please forgive me; I never really wrote fiction before and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm a Royai shipper, but I just had this urge to write something about Kimblee and Riza, since I just re-watched both FMA and FMAB during the holidays and I can't get enough of the two, especially after their interaction in episode 30 of FMAB :/ For this work, I hope I can add a chapter on a weekly basis. I will update the rating, warning, and tags (since I'm new to this stuff) as I go along. Thanks again for your time! :)


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